VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH • SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020 • 11
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photos TribLIVE EVAN AZZARA
Coach: Matt Morgan
2019 record: 3-7, 1-5
in Class 5A Big East
All-time record: 327-415-27
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at Greensburg Salem* 7
9.18 Indiana* 7
9.25 at Mars* 7
10.2 Highlands* 7
10.9 at Hampton* 7
10.16 at Knoch* 7
10.23 Armstrong* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Jake Miller
51-101, 810 yards, 7 TDs
Receiving Max Matolcsy
26-527 yards, 7 TDs
Rushing Billy Guzzi
121-514 yards, 3 TDs
FAST FACTS
• Martin tied a team record last
year for the longest field goal — 51
yards — against Belle Vernon.
• Plum is hoping to earn a WPIAL
playoff spot for the first time since
2015, the final year for the former
WPIAL four-class system.
• The Mustangs defense hopes to
fare better this season after leading
Class 5A last season in points
surrendered per game (38.8).
No. Name Pos. Ht/Wt. Cl.
1 William Guzzi RB/DB 5-8/160 Sr.
2 Reed Martin WR/DB 5-9/180 Sr.
3 Preston Sunday RB/LB 5-8/180 Sr.
4 Zack Hartley WR/DB 5-5/120 Sr.
5 Zach Fields WR/DB 6-0/180 Sr.
7 Max Matolcsy TE/WR/LB 6-1/225 Sr.
8 Sa’mo Pitts WR/DB 6-4/155 Jr.
9 Logan Brooks WR/DB 5-11/160 Jr.
10 Ryan Hubner QB/DB 5-11/180 Sr.
11 Santino Saccone QB/DB 6-1/155 So.
12 Jake Miller QB/LB 6-1/185 Jr.
14 Brady Dojonovic QB/RB/LB 5-/155 So.
15 Jack Tongel QB/LB 5-7/145 Fr.
18 David Westrick WR/DB 5-11/160 Jr.
20 Frank Macioce RB/LB 5-7/185 So.
21 Eryck Moore RB/LB 6-1/190 So.
23 Johnny Ioannou RB/DB 5-10/175 Jr.
24 Keyonta Finley RB/LB 5-7/160 So.
25 Brandon Wiesenbach QB/LB 5-6/165 Fr.
27 Zac Napierkowski WR/DB 5-8/130 Fr.
28 Caden Anderson RB/LB 5-8/145 Fr.
29 Thomas Payne RB/LB 5-6/145 So.
30 Vincent Febbaro RB/DB 5-3/125 Fr.
35 Nekye Smith RB/LB 5-8/145 Sr.
36 Deon Steave WR/DB 5-7/160 So.
42 Ben Hartley RB/DB 5-0/82 Fr.
44 Dominic Beyer RB/LB 5-5/140 Fr.
46 Dangelo Palermo RB/DB 5-1/120 Fr.
48 Michael Leone TE/LB 6-1/170 Jr.
50 Logan O’Donnell OL/DL 6-0/250 So.
51 Matthew Horvatic OL/DL 5-11/190 Fr.
52 Jaden Nichols OL/DL 6-2/225 Sr.
56 Josh Cummings OL/DL 5-11/260 Sr.
57 Andrew Claassen OL/DL 5-10/160 So.
58 Rocco Caprara TE/LB 6-0/200 Sr.
60 Bill Depew OL/DL 6-0/250 Sr.
61 Nate Kondas OL/DL 5-8/165 Fr.
64 Jack Majors OL/DL 5-9/245 Jr.
65 Austin Mitchell OL/DL 5-9/220 So.
66 Ian Lamia OL/DL 5-9/275 Sr.
67 Logan Wiesenbach OL/DL 5-7/170 Fr.
70 James Stitt OL/DL 5-10/145 So.
71 Maxwell Scheer OL/DL 5-11/200 Fr.
72 Evan Azzara OL/DL 6-6/290 Sr.
73 Matt Leone OL/DL 5-8/190 Fr.
74 Colton Lowman OL/DL 6-5/280 Sr.
76 Devin Curler OL/DL 6-1/220 Fr.
77 Jordan Major OL/DL 6-1/285 Sr.
80 Shandon Walsh TE/DE 5-10/190 Jr.
81 Kaden Thomas TE/LB 5-11/195 So.
82 Nick Lamia WR/DB 5-7/145 So.
83 Michael Barr WR/DB 5-10/130 Fr.
84 Sean Franzi WR/DB 5-6/130 Fr.
85 Matt Loehlein WR/DB 5-7/130 Fr.
86 Anthony Irwin WR/DB 5-7/130 Fr.
87 Nyan East WR/DB 5-7/130 Fr.
88 Zach Orfanopoulos WR/DB 5-7/135 So.
ROSTER
After several years of play in WPIAL
Class 5A, Plum turns its attention to a new
venture this season.
The Mustangs are one of the several teams
to make the move to Class 4A, and coach Matt
Morgan said the change, along with a large
group of starters back, presents some optimistic
opportunities.
“There is a lot to look forward to with the
new conference and new opponents. That is
another thing that has really energized the
program,” said Morgan, who hopes to see his
team improve on last year’s 3-7 record.
Plum played Highlands in nonconference
play last year and will join the Rams in the
remodeled Greater Allegheny Conference with
Armstrong, Knoch, Indiana, Mars, Hampton
and Greensburg Salem.
“There is some familiarity against some
teams like Highlands and Armstrong, but I’ve
never coached against Knoch,” Morgan said.
“It should be fun, but we know it will be a
challenge each week.”
Morgan said he likes what he saw when the
team returned to workouts after the covid-19
restrictions were lifted.
“For us as a staff, the level of excitement is
through the roof,” Morgan said. “We have a
lot of kids back and kids who have turned the
corner for us. They did their own thing during
the quarantine and were ready to go when we
started workouts. They changed the way they
look and their attitudes.”
The WPIAL in late July, in response to the
season-change options from the PIAA, adopted a
model for football that involves both game movement
and elimination from the original schedules.
With Week Zero gone, Plum will no longer
face rival Franklin Regional. The Sept. 4 game
against North Hills now is a scrimmage, and
the Week 10 conference game against Greensburg
Salem has been moved to Sept. 11, the
new opening week. The nonconference contest
against Fox Chapel originally on Sept. 11 has
been eliminated.
But with coaches and players relieved there
will be a season, the show must go on. For Plum,
it goes on with senior tight end, wide receiver
and linebacker Max Matolcsy in the fold.
Matolcsy, a first-team all-conference selection
last year at outside linebacker, gave a verbal commitment
to Ivy League member Penn on Aug. 8.
“Ever since we started practice, we had a feeling
that this could be our year,” said Matolcsy, who led
the team in receiving yards and touchdowns last
year and added a team-best 138 defensive stops.
“We’ve had a lot of guys make big strides in
the offseason. We’ve got some new faces we are
adding into the mix. With so many possibilities
on both sides of the ball, it’s pretty exciting.”
Also back after earning all-conference recognition
last year are seniors Billy Guzzi (running
back/defensive back), Reed Martin (wide
receiver/defensive back/kicker), Evan Azzara
(offensive line/defensive line), Rocco Caprara
(offensive line/linebacker), Jaden Nichols (offensive/
defensive line), Preston Sunday (running
back/linebacker); and juniors Jake Miller
(quarterback/linebacker) and Logan Brooks
(wide receiver/defensive back).
Morgan said Miller has recovered from an
ACL injury suffered against Latrobe. Senior
Ryan Hubner, also a receiver, showed his capabilities
at quarterback toward the end of the
season. Morgan said both have been competing
for the starting job.
“Hopefully in camp, we can decide who it will
be so we can roll into the season,” Morgan said.
“Both guys have really stepped up their levels.”
Morgan said there is depth among the
skill positions on offense and at several positions
on defense such as linebacker and
defensive back.
Azzara, at 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, hopes for
big things from his final varsity season after
making a verbal commitment in March to play
at Division I Miami (Ohio).
“We expect Evan to be a leader of that (offensive
line) group going into his third year as a
starter,” Morgan said. “He should be more of a
dominant force this year. He got the recruiting
thing out of the way, so his focus is on what he
needs to do with us.”
by MICHAEL LOVE
MAX MATOLCSY
PLUM • GREATER ALLEGHENY